Cabinets

ABSTRACT

Cabinets made of plastic or similar material and comprising elongated extruded channels, the channels being stacked horizontally with the arms of the channels in contact with each other providing a closed back and an open front with as many shelves as may be desired, and new and improved supporting columns and doors thereon. Cabinets made of plastic elongated sheets and including special new and improved extruded brackets mounting and connecting the sheets together to form a back, a bottom, shelves, and new and improved front rails with vertical stiles.

United States Patent [191 Mastrangelo 1 Oct. 16, 1973 CABINETS Inventor: Fred R. Mastrangelo, 200 Prospect St., Lunenburg, Mass.

Filed: Apr. 5, 1972 Appl. No.: 241,352

US. Cl 312/263, 312/111, 312/140, 312/198, 312/257 Int. Cl A47b 47/04 Field of Search 312/107, 108, 111, 312/140, 198, 257 R, 257 SK, 257 SM, 263, 264, 265; 287/189.36 D, 189.36 B, 189.54

A, 189.4 C, 189.54 B, 189.20, 92 C, 92 D 5 6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1972 Alster 312/257 R 10/1936 Rosendale 312/257 SK 4/1963 Anderson et al 312/257 SK 1 H1967 Pritelli, Jr. 311/111 3,360,320 12/1967 Lust 312/257 R 3,418,030 12/1968 Golden 312/257 R 3,525,560 8/1970 Gasner et a1 312/257 Primary Examiner.lames T. McCall Attorney-Charles R. Pay

[57] ABSTRACT Cabinets made of plastic or similar material and comprising elongated extruded channels, the channels being stacked horizontally with the arms of the channels in contact with each other providing a closed back and an open front with as many shelves as may be desired, and new and improved supporting columns and doors thereon.

Cabinets made of plastic elongated sheets and including special new and improved extruded brackets mounting and connecting the sheets together to form a back, a bottom, shelves, and new and improved front rails with vertical stiles.

, 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures CABINETS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Cabinetry has become extremely expensive even though made of wood. The wood must be painted and is subject to rot especially in humid climates. If the cabinetry is made of metal the same must be painted or in some way protected against rust.

In the present case the cabinetry is made of plastic or aluminum, etc. I-Ieretofore plastic cabinets have been considered to be difficult to manufacture and also expensive, but this invention provides a practical, economical structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present case extruded channel shells are connected together, for instance with an upper shell having a lower arm contacting the upper arm of the lower shell forming a cabinet having a top, bottom, an intermediate shelf and an open front. Along the forward edge of the top there is provided an extruded rail of a new and improved construction which provides for the reception of the top, and has a pair of downwardly opening elongated slots which receive vertical stiles with new and improved end plugs, the stiles being hollow.

The invention also contemplates the provision of cabinetry which is made of flat sheet stock toether with new and improved extruded longitudinal rails for connecting the sheets together at their edges so that a plurality of flat sheets are aligned and connected together vertically to form the back of the cabinet and the same brackets are utilized to form the shelving and the top and bottom of the cabinet, the shelving being formed by a pair of sheets having a new and improved rail connecting them together; and in addition new and improved stiles, end plugs, etc., are utilized.

Although the main purpose of the invention is to provide cabinetry of plastic, other inert material such as vinyl covered material could also be used as well as annodized aluminum, and the doors and door may be cut from prefmished plywood or plastic faced components or fully molded and finished plastic units may be used. Drawers may be of conventional construction or may also be molded and the parts are easily nested and shipped in long lengths; delivery to job sites is simple and easy, as is the erection of the cabinets. Also a very great strength to weight ratio exists since the shelves combined with the frames form a modified monocoupe construction used in the aircraft industry.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Elongated extruded shells generally indicated at and 12 in FIG. 1 are preferably made of plastic, plastic coated light material, or aluminum, etc., and each one has a bottom 14, a bottom wall or arm 16 and a top wall or arm 18. As shown the arm 18 of the topmost shelf forms the top of the cabinet and its lower arm 16 with the top arm 18 of a lower shelf forms the shelving; and the bottom arm 16 of the lowermost shelf forms the bottom of the cabinet. The shelves are so arranged that the front is open and otherwise the bottom, rear, and top are closed there being no joins of any kind.

Referring now to FIG. 5 there is shown a front railing generally indicated at 20. This railing has a front wall which extends upwardly at the forward portion of the railing forming an abutment 22 and a lower or reduced shoulder 24, the latter receiving the forward edge of the upper arm 18 of the top arm 12 and may be secured thereto in any way desired. Under the shoulder there may be provided a strengthening structure 26 although this is not necessary and spaced from the front wall is a rear wall 28 and intermediate the front wall and the rear wall there is a central partition 30.

The central partition 30 receives a slot 32 in a plug 34 which is of general T-shape, the reduced portion as at 36 being received in the hollow rectangular upright stile 38.

The rail construction can be repeated in an upside down condition at the bottom as at 40 and this provides for sliding doors to be used if this should be desired. On the other hand, if hinged doors such as are illustrated at 42 are to be used, they are merely hinged with respect to the stile 38, etc.

FIG. 4 illustrates a cabinet which uses the same rails and these are indicated at 25 and 45 but in this case flat sheets of stock as at 46, 48, and 50 are utilized rather than the extruded shelves l0 and 12. In this case in addition to the forward rails 20 and 40 which are the same as those at 20 and 40, the rear of the cabinet is formed by upright sheets 52 and 54.

As shown, a rear bracket generally indicated at 56 is provided with a forward slot 58 to receive a sheet like that at 46 along its rear edge and if necessary fasteners can be used, or the edge portion of the sheet can be adhesively mounted with respect to slot 58.

A similar slot 60 which is vertical receives the upper edge of the rear panel 52 in a similar manner and the lower edge of panel 52 is received in a similar slot 62 in an extruded bracket 64, the latter having a forwardly extending slot 66 receiving panel or sheet 46.

This construction is repeated as to bracket 68 which is inverted with relation to bracket 64, but in the position of bracket 56, and this receives the rear end portion of panel 48. This construction may be repeated as far as desired, the lower sheet 50 having a single bracket 70 against similar but reverse with respect to bracket 56.

It will be noted that in this case two sheets 46 and 48 together form a single shelf with a forward rail 72 which is merely of a T-shape construction and this can be easily secured or fastened with mechanical fasteners with respect to the forward edge portions of the sheets of panels 46 and 48 inside the upright stile 38' which is the same as that at 38. FIG. 4 illustrates sliding doors 74 as well as hinged doors 42.

Through the use of this construction rot-proof and verminproof cabinets are provided which can be assembled very easily in popular sizes by stacking the shelves to form the basic heights associated with specifications e.g., for wall cabinets. For instance, two 18 inch high shelves will stack to a standard 36 inch high wall cabinet; or a 12 inch and an 18 inch will stack to 30 inches; while two 12 inch shelves will equal a 24 inch wall cabinet, etc. Also, more than two shelves may be stacked if this should be desired.

As to the illustration in FIG. 4, panels of different widths may be utilized to provide base cabinets of different heights or with different members of shelves therein, etc. And also in the case of FIG. 4 a panel may be omitted and a simple support 76 or the like may be utilized to support a counter top of conventional construction as is illustrated in FIG. 8.

This invention provides modular cabinetry which is easily installed and is extremely flexible as to size, etc. it is very easy to install the stiles and rails, doors and drawers, and sliding doors or hinged doors may be utilized together with any kind of drawer that may be desired. The coved back corner of the shelves with lack of joints provides an added improvement regarding clealiness and sanitation. The parts can be made very light weight for ease and inexpense of packing and shipping. Delivery to the job site is very easy and the cabinets are erected to the lengths desired right at the site with very little trouble. The cost of the new cabinets is relatively low and they eliminate the traditional milling, sanding, finishing, and assembly of old well known cases, shelving, and framing. Installation is faster and more economical and no finishing is required. Maintenance is at a minimum, the units permit a wide variety of styling, color and design with more flexibility in sizes than is possible with traditional methods. The units may be used in geographical areas of wide temperature and humidity changes that normally are injurious to wood or metal units. The present invention provides cabinetry of exceptional strength and rigidity which can be economically shipped anywhere in semi-knocked-down condition or in fact in completly knocked-down condition and highly skilled craftsmen are not needed to assemble and install the units.

I claim:

1. Modular cabinet comprising at least two channel shaped shells having open fronts, each shell including a rear wall, top wall, and a bottom wall, the top and bottom walls of each shell being spaced and parallel and extending forwardly from the rear wall, the shells being arranged in superposed relation and in similar orientation, the bottom wall of the upper shell being in flat contact with the top wall of the lower shell,

an elongated extruded rail at the forward edge of the top wall of the upper shell and at the forward edge of the bottom wall of the lower shell, each rail comprising a front wall, a rear wall, the front wall extending beyond the rear wall forming a shoulder receiving the forward edge of the top wall of the upper shell, as to the first-named rail and the forward edge of the bottom wall of the lower shell.

2. The modular cabinet of claim 1 wherein each rail includes a socket between the walls, the sockets facing each other,

and a stile including extending end portions received in the sockets.

3. The modular cabinet of claim 2 including means connecting the forward edges of the top wall of the lower shell and the bottom wall of the upper shell to the stile at its midpoint. I

4. The modular cabinet of claim 3 including a partition in the sockets of the rails, and a slot in the end portions of the stile receiving the partitions.

5. The modular cabinet of claim 4 including a separate plug at each end of the stile, the slot being in the plug. 

1. Modular cabinet comprising at least two channel shaped shells having open fronts, each shell including a rear wall, top wall, and a bottom wall, the top and bottom walls of each shell being spaced and parallel and extending forwardly from the rear wall, the shells being arranged in superposed relation and in similar orientation, the bottom wall of the upper shell being in flat contact with the top wall of the lower shell, an elongated extruded rail at the forward edge of the top wall of the upper shell and at the forward edge of the bottom wall of the lower shell, each rail comprising a front wall, a rear wall, the front wall extending beyond the rear wall forming a shoulder receiving the forward edge of the top wall of the upper shell, as to the first-named rail and the forward edge of the bottom wall of the lower shell.
 2. The modular cabinet of claim 1 wherein each rail includes a socket between the walls, the sockets facing each other, and a stile including extending end portions received in the sockets.
 3. The modular cabinet of claim 2 including means connecting the forward edges of the top wall of the lower shell and the bottom wall of the upper shell to the stile at its midpoint.
 4. The modular cabinet of claim 3 including a partition in the sockets of the rails, and a slot in the end portions of the stile receiving the partitions.
 5. The modular cabinet of claim 4 including a separate plug at each end of the stile, the slot being in the plug. 